Spoolable RFID-enabled wristbands with maximized read range. In an embodiment, a wristband comprises flexible material formed into a flag portion and a strap portion. The flag portion comprises a radio-frequency identification (RFID) inlay embedded within the material. The strap portion extends from the flag portion, and is perforated in a line along a longitudinal axis of the wristband from a distal end of the strap portion that is distal to the flag portion to a hole at a proximal end of the strap portion that is proximal to the flag portion, such that the strap portion may be torn, from the distal end to the hole at the proximal end, along the perforated line, into two sections of substantially equal dimension, which each extend from the flag portion.
Legal claims defining the scope of protection, as filed with the USPTO.
1. A method of manufacturing a plurality of radio-frequency-identification (RFID) bands, the method comprising: placing each of a plurality of RFID inlays on a first layer of material according to a fixed spatial interval representing a length of each RFID band; placing a second layer of material over the first layer to cover the plurality of RFID inlays; fusing the first layer to the second layer, such that together the first layer and the second layer are around the plurality of RFID inlays; perforating the first and second layers in a longitudinal line, along a longitudinal axis of the RFID bands, according to a fixed spatial interval, to define two separable sections of equal dimension in each RFID band; and perforating the first and second layers in lateral lines, that are perpendicular to the longitudinal axis, according to a fixed spatial interval, to define separable boundaries between adjacent RFID bands.
2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising spooling the fused and perforated first and second layers, comprising the separable plurality of RFID bands, around a cylindrical core, into a spool.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the spool is configured to be fed into an RFID-enabled printer.
4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising arranging the plurality of RFID inlays between the fused first and second layers, such that the plurality of RFID bands are formed in a two-dimensional sheet with perforated boundaries between adjacent ones of the plurality of RFID bands.
5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising stacking two or more sets of the plurality of RFID bands in a cassette.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of RFID inlays comprises an RFID antenna on a flexible substrate.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the flexible substrate has a thickness between 100 millimeters and 200 millimeters.
8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the flexible substrate comprises a polymer.
9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material has a dielectric constant of four or less.
10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is infused with antimicrobial additives.
11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is infused with hypoallergenic additives.
12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the material is capable of being printed upon.
13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding a fold line, along the longitudinal axis of the RFID bands, at a plurality of fixed spatial intervals, within a flag portion of each of the plurality of RFID bands, wherein the flag portion of each of the plurality of RFID bands contains the RFID inlay for that RFID band.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein adding the fold line comprises weakening the material.
15. The method of claim 14 , wherein weakening the material comprises scoring the material.
16. The method of claim 13 , wherein the flag portion of each of the plurality of RFID bands contains the RFID inlay for that RFID band on only a first side of the fold line.
17. The method of claim 16 , further comprising placing each of a plurality of displays on an exterior surface of either the first layer or the second layer, according to a fixed spatial interval, such that each of the plurality of RFID bands comprises one of the plurality of displays on a second side of the fold line that is opposite the first side of the fold line.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein each of the plurality of displays is configured to display one of a plurality of colors.
19. The method of claim 16 , further comprising placing each of a plurality of fingerprint sensors on an exterior surface of either the first layer or the second layer, according to a fixed spatial interval, such that each of the plurality of RFID bands comprises one of the plurality of fingerprint sensors on a second side of the fold line that is opposite the first side of the fold line.
20. The method of claim 13 , wherein the flag portion of each of the plurality of RFID bands contains an RFID inlay on both sides of the fold line.
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February 14, 2020
March 9, 2021
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